Reported ARTS automated handoff feature had been turned off due to proximity of center boundary and ...

Narrative:

The ARTS at my facility has the capacity to perform automatic handoffs to other facilities. We have airports in our airspace that are within 10 mi of a ZKC boundary. After at first believing the automatic hand feature would be an asset to the controller, it was determined that because of the proximity of ZKC airspace and requirements that the initial controller at my facility would perform an automated information xfer to the departure controller prior to entering their airspace. It was determined that this feature should be turned off. After a month or more using this procedure and with no warning the automatic hand is on again. At this time no one seems to know why this occurred or when it will be turned off again. The possibility exists that a controller could mistake an automatic handoff aircraft to ZKC with an ait aircraft at mci resulting in an unsafe condition. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter indicated the handoff function as described in the report was turned off a few days after filing the report. Reporter stated that they only have a part time automation person who is assigned to the center but comes to the facility periodically to make software changes. The facility formerly had 2 automation specialists.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTED ARTS AUTOMATED HDOF FEATURE HAD BEEN TURNED OFF DUE TO PROX OF CTR BOUNDARY AND POSSIBILITY THAT A CTLR COULD MISTAKE AN AUTO HDOF TO THE CTR WITH AN INTRAFAC INFO XFER TO THE DEP POS.

Narrative: THE ARTS AT MY FACILITY HAS THE CAPACITY TO PERFORM AUTOMATIC HDOFS TO OTHER FACILITIES. WE HAVE ARPTS IN OUR AIRSPACE THAT ARE WITHIN 10 MI OF A ZKC BOUNDARY. AFTER AT FIRST BELIEVING THE AUTO HAND FEATURE WOULD BE AN ASSET TO THE CTLR, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT BECAUSE OF THE PROX OF ZKC AIRSPACE AND REQUIREMENTS THAT THE INITIAL CTLR AT MY FACILITY WOULD PERFORM AN AUTOMATED INFO XFER TO THE DEP CTLR PRIOR TO ENTERING THEIR AIRSPACE. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THIS FEATURE SHOULD BE TURNED OFF. AFTER A MONTH OR MORE USING THIS PROC AND WITH NO WARNING THE AUTO HAND IS ON AGAIN. AT THIS TIME NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHY THIS OCCURRED OR WHEN IT WILL BE TURNED OFF AGAIN. THE POSSIBILITY EXISTS THAT A CTLR COULD MISTAKE AN AUTO HDOF ACFT TO ZKC WITH AN AIT ACFT AT MCI RESULTING IN AN UNSAFE CONDITION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR INDICATED THE HDOF FUNCTION AS DESCRIBED IN THE RPT WAS TURNED OFF A FEW DAYS AFTER FILING THE RPT. RPTR STATED THAT THEY ONLY HAVE A PART TIME AUTOMATION PERSON WHO IS ASSIGNED TO THE CTR BUT COMES TO THE FACILITY PERIODICALLY TO MAKE SOFTWARE CHANGES. THE FACILITY FORMERLY HAD 2 AUTOMATION SPECIALISTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Attributes
ACN	377341
Time
Date	199708
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mci
State Reference	MO
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 16
ASRS Report	377341
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Reported ARTS automated handoff feature had been turned off due to proximity of center boundary and possibility that a controller could mistake an automatic handoff to the center with an intrafac information xfer to the departure position.